Antigenuria after immunization with Haemophilus influenzae oligosaccharide CRM197 conjugate (HbOC) vaccine

We tested the urine of 30 infants 6 weeks to 7 months of age after they received standard 10-micrograms (0.5-ml) doses of HbOC (HibTITER) Haemophilus influenzae b (Hib) conjugate vaccine for the presence of Hib antigenuria using a commercially available latex particle agglutination assay (Directigen). Urines were collected within 1 hour, from 1 to 3 hours, at 24 hours and at 3, 6 and 9 days after vaccine administration and reactions were quantitated from 0 to 3+. In contrast to previous studies in older children which showed little or no antigenuria following HbOC vaccination, our study shows that in infants intense Hib antigenuria is evident within 2 to 3 hours and persists 3 days after vaccine administration and that less intense antigenuria may be detected in some infants for several days. With efficacious vaccines now being used in 2- to 6-month-old infants, invasive Hib disease may soon be limited to infants of this age just before their seroconversion. It should be recognized that antigenuria occurs for several days after vaccination with Hib conjugate vaccines and that it could be erroneously interpreted as evidence of invasive Hib infection.     

Biting in day care centers: incidence, prevention, and intervention.

Analysis of accident logs in child day care centers indicates that biting is common, especially among toddlers 13 to 30 months of age. Children of this age often lack appropriate verbal skills and resort to aggressive means to achieve their goals. Still awkward in gross-motor skills, toddlers can also suffer self-bites following accidental falls. According to medical reports, human bites sometimes are more virulent than animal bites and can cause severe trauma. Although the AIDS virus has been cultured from saliva, transmission from saliva alone has not been documented. Bite injuries in day care, however, usually are minor and can be treated by washing, applying cold compresses, and comforting the child. Suggested methods to diminish the frequency of biting in day care include physical changes within the room, behavior modification, and other classroom management techniques.     

Lipid metabolism and hyperandrogenism.

Hyperandrogenism and lipid metabolism were shown to be related intimately. Any discussion of the nature of their relationship must include other clinical and metabolic variables such as hyperinsulinemia and UBO. Despite the many correlations among each of these factors, the appropriate sequence in the pathogenesis of these conditions has not been defined. Do conditions that result in insulin resistance (e.g., genetic defects, insulin receptor antibodies, and obesity) also lead to the development of hyperandrogenemia by direct or indirect ovarian stimulation by insulin? Does hyperandrogenism of ovarian or adrenal origin cause abnormal upper body fat distribution, in turn leading to lipid abnormalities and insulin resistance? Regardless of the issue of mechanism of causality, women with hyperandrogenism are thought to be at greater risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than their normoandrogenic counterparts. These women often are obese, hypertensive, and sedentary; ingest diets high in saturated fats; and have glucose intolerance and/or insulin resistance. All these abnormalities are well known independent risk factors for the development of lipid abnormalities and cardiovascular disease. Whether hyperandrogenism is a secondary consequence of any of these or whether it is an independent contributor to lipid aberrations requires future study. Treatment strategies for hyperandrogenic women, however, should not only be directed toward alleviation of the cosmetic problem of hirsutism but also toward the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular morbidity using modalities aimed at eradicating hyperinsulinemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. These modalities should include modifications in diet, exercise, and weight in addition to pharmacologic and/or surgical manipulation. Weight reduction will reduce many cardiovascular risk factors. Obesity is easier to target because of the many risk factors that result in it.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of norethisterone acetate on serum lipid and lipoprotein parameters as well as on blood coagulation in female monkeys (M. fascicularis)

The effects of daily oral administration of a high dose of 10 mg norethisterone acetate (NET-Ac.)/kg/day over 14 weeks on serum lipid and lipoprotein parameters as well as on blood coagulation were investigated in female monkeys (M. fascicularis). Measurements of lipids and lipoprotein cholesterol were performed in weeks —5 and — 1 before treatment and in weeks 4, 8 and 12 after treatment. In addition, various blood coagulation and fibrinolytic parameters were determined in weeks 11–14 after treatment with NET-Ac. Furthermore, the serum levels of norethisterone (NET) were determined in order to monitor the real systemic compound exposure and revealed that C_max and AUC (0–3 h) values reached for norethisterone in this experiment in monkeys were about 25 times higher than those obtained after an oral contraceptive dose of NET-Ac. in women.

The results of lipid and lipoprotein cholesterol determinations showed decreases in serum total lipids, phospholipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol associated with similar decreases in HDL-, LDL- and VLDL-cholesterol fractions after NET-Ac.-treatment in monkeys. These effects were observed from week 4 onwards and maintained their magnitude up to week 12 after treatment. Since both HDL- and LDL-cholesterol fractions decreased, the HDL/LDL-ratio remained almost unchanged. Thus, the results obtained in this study after high-dose treatment with NET-Ac. in monkeys did not indicate any changes of lipid and lipoprotein parameters which in humans are supposed to be associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular lesions, namely a decrease in HDL- and increase in LDL-cholesterol fractions.

The results of blood coagulation and fibrinolytic parameters showed increased antithrombin-III and plasminogen levels besides minor changes in other parameters, thus indicating that NET-Ac. -treatment does not contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular thrombotic events in the cynomolgus monkey.     

Monocyte chemotactic protein expression during schistosome egg granuloma formation. Sequence of production, localization, contribution, and regulation.

The present study explored the role of murine monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP) in the T cell-mediated hypersensitive granulomatous response to Schistosoma mansoni eggs. The study examined the time course of local production, contribution to cellular infiltration, and the role of T cells in endogenous regulation. Synchronized pulmonary granulomas were induced under conditions of primary and secondary states of immunity. Primer-directed polymerase chain reaction analysis showed increased MCP mRNA expression in granulomatous lungs, mainly in the secondary response. Levels of MCP were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in cultures of intact granulomas. Spontaneous MCP production was modest in primary granuloma cultures, reaching a maximum of 5.7 +/- 0.9 ng/ml by 16 days. In contrast, the secondary response showed augmented and accelerated production, achieving 13 +/- 2.0 ng/ml by 2 days. Immunohistochemical staining revealed the strongest MCP expression within microvascular adventitial cells or pericytes as well as in scattered mononuclear cells associated with granulomas. Staining was not detected in normal lungs. Passive immunization with anti-MCP-1 antibodies caused a 40% reduction in the secondary granuloma area but did not significantly affect the primary response. With adoptive cell transfer and T cell subset depletion, it was shown that Thy-1+ and CD5+ cells augmented, whereas CD8+ cells appeared to impair, MCP production. This provides direct evidence that MCP is involved in secondary Th2-mediated response to schistosome eggs and is subject to regulation by T cells.     

Mycobacteriosis due to Mycobacterium genavense in six pet birds.

Six cases of mycobacteriosis due to Mycobacterium genavense in three budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus), one orange-winged amazon (Amazona amazonica), one flycatcher (Cyanoptila cyanomelana), and one zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) are discussed. Gross lesions associated with the infection included a high degree of muscular wasting (five cases), hepatomegaly (four cases), and thickening of the wall of the small intestine (four cases). Granulomas were found in the lung (one case) and the subcutis (one case). Acid-fast bacilli were detected in the liver of all six birds. Only the use of acidic BACTEC mediums consistently led to growth, whereas the egg-based medium failed. These findings point to a possible role of the environment as a reservoir for M. genavense.     

Behaviors and attitudes associated with eating disorders: perceptions of college athletes about food and weight

This study surveyed male and female athletes from 22 midwesterncolleges and universities regarding behaviors and attitudesassociated with anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. The responserate was 66% (N= 695) and the findings indicated that the bodyimage of some athletes may be distorted; one-seventh perceivedthemselves as fat even though they were not. Many athletes seemedpreoccupied with food and weight; almost one-third reportedroutinely thinking about food and weight and more than one-thirdreported dramatic annual weight fluctuations (9 lb or greater)related to bingeing and fasting. Athletes also did not feelin control when they ate and their habits related to food consumptionappeared to be extreme; one-tenth reported a lack of controlwhen they ate, more than one-third binged, one-twentieth ateuntil they were physically ill, and a similar proportion preferrednot to eat in the presence of others. In addition, it was foundthat as many men as women athletes reported these perceptionsbut significant sex differences were noted for specific items.It was suggested that behaviors and attitudes be viewed on acontinuum with normals at one end, eating disordered individuals at the other end,and college athletes in between. Health education that focuseson behaviors and attitudes as symptoms of eating disorders wasrecommended for athletes and those working closely with athletes.Future research was suggested to determine reasons for the undesirablebehaviors and attitudes and to study the onset, development,long-term effects and whether these behaviors and attitudeslead to an eating disorder.     

Incidence of hypertension in the Framingham Study.

Incidence and trends in incidence of definite hypertension were analyzed based on 30 years follow-up of 5,209 subjects in the Framingham Heart Study cohort. Based on pooling of 15 two-year periods, hypertension incidence per biennium increased with age in men from 3.3 per cent at ages 30-39 to 6.2 per cent at ages 70-79, and in women from 1.5 per cent at ages 30-39 to 8.6 per cent at ages 70-79. No consistent trend in incidence rates was evident for either sex from the 1950s through the 1970s. The proportion of hypertensive subjects receiving antihypertensive medication has increased since 1954-58 and exceeded 80 per cent for both men and women ages 60-89 years in 1979-81. Incidence data presented in this report may serve as a baseline for assessing the impact of future public health efforts in the primary prevention of hypertension.